Switch and mounting therefor



Feb. 21, 1933. I H. E. NoRvlEL 1,898,495

SWITCH AND MOUNTING THEREFOR Filed March 2l, 1930 Patented Feb. 21.19,33

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE HARRY E. NoRvIEL, or ANDERSON, INDIANA,AssIGNoD. 'ro Danco trauml conronA- 'rIoN, or ANDERSON, INDIANA, ACORPORATION or DELAWARE l SWITCH AND MOUNTING THEREFOR- Appiicationaied- ,Ima 21,

This invention relates to electric circuit closers, and is particularlydirected to the oscillatable type wherein a quick movement is desiredfor making and breaking the circult through the -electroconductiveelements.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel and .simplemechanism making for an eliicient actuator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a circuit closer of theoscillatable type in which a rapid make-and-break movementv can beobtained.

A further object of the invention is to provide an actuating'structurethat requires little movement of acontrolled device in orderto completethe function for which it 1s designed.

A further object of the invention is to provi de for a complete movementof the circuit closing device 'though buta small or partial movement ofthe controlled member is made.

A further object of the invention is to provide a circuit controllingmeans that will be quickly responsive to slight movements of thecontrolled device.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to 3o theaccompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of thepresent invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one type of circuit closer illustratingits circuitvopen position, and its relative juxtaposition with a portionof the controlled member` with which it is to be associated.

Fig. 2 is an end f the same, substantially as indicated by the arrow 2in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View of the circuit closer illustrated in Fig. 1, but withthe circuit closing unit and controlled member moved to the circuitclosed position.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the circuit closing device substantially asindicated by the arrows .4 in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section.. through the circuit closing devicesubstantially as indicated by the line and arrows 5-5 of Fig. 3,

1930. Serial No. 437,747.

and as would'be seen with the partsmoved to a medial position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section showing details of constructionsubstantially as indicated by the line and arrows 6--6 of Fig. 1. 55With particular reference to the drawing, 20 indicates a mountin orattaching bracket which maybe mounte on a convenient portion of anautomotive vehicle or other supporting structure, so as to be injuxtaposed 60 relation with respect to amovable part as a l brake rod21, illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The bracket 20 provides offsetattachin lugs 22 apertured at 23, by which it may be attached to aconvenient portion of the struc- .65 ture. At an intermediate pointsubstantially midway of the offset'lugs a depending lug 24 is providedwith an angular extension 25. The lug 25 is in spaced relation withrespect to an aperture 26 that receives a shouldered 70 rivet 27, bymeans of, which an oscillatable circuit closer 30 is pivotally securedto the bracket 20. In the present instance the oscillatable cirvcuitclosing unit 30 is embodied in a iiuid- 75 conductive unit 50 that ismounted for oscillation. The immediate embodiment comprises a lever 31apertured at 32 to receive the rivet 27 and terminates in an actuatinglever 33 on one side of its ivot as that repre- 80 sented on the lowerortion of'Fig. 1, and with a flange 34 over ying the intermediateportion of the bracket 20. The flange is reduced into a lug 35 insubstantial parallel extension with the lug 25 hereinbefere referred 65to. The lug 35, by reason of the pivot at 27 is oscillatable into aposition on either side of the medial position, and thereby limited 4aswill later appear. At a point to one side of the aperture 32 the lever31 is vpro- 90 vided with a squirt or llug 36 in opposite extensionrelative to the flange 34, and may be struck out from the edgesubstantially as illustrated in Fig. 6.

A support 40 preferably of dielectric ma- 95 terial, and which mayconsist of an elongated strip of fiber, or be molded in formation, iscarried by the lever 31, being secured thereto by means of thehereinbefore described rivet 27 passing through a central aperture 10041. The support 40 is held in substantially fixed relation with thelever 31 by means of arecess 42 at one side ofthe rivet opening 41,within which is received the squirt or lug 36 of the lever 31. It isobvious from the struct-ure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6 that when themembers 31 and 40 are so disposed that the lug 36 rests within theaperture 42, and with the rivet 27 passed throu h the aligned openings41 and 32 and 26, an riveted a ainst the bracket 20 as illustrated at 43in ig. 5, that the members 40 and 31 will be held in non-relativerotation, yet those' members will be held in oscillatable relation as aunit relative to the bracket 20.

The support 40 has provision for supporting the fluid conductive contactcloser 50 hereinbefore mentioned, through a spring cli and terminalstructure supported at eit er end of the member 40. In the illustratedembodiment the spring clip member. comprises a U-shaped resilient clip44, with deformations 45 in either leg thereof providing socket-likemembers for the reception of the fluid conductive unit 50. The clipmembers 44 are in electrical communication with terminal members 46through the agency of rivets or other fastening devices 47 that operateto clamp the clip 44 and terminal 46 to the dielectric member 40substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6, the rivet bein turned over orspread against the mem er 40 as illustrated, and the terminal 46 is heldin non-rotative relation by a lug 48 seating within an aperture ordepression 49 of the support 40. Since the clip and terminal structureon each end of the support 40 is identical, further description isdeemed unnecessary. Of course it is understood the terminal members 46are to be provided with the appropriate terminal screws and washers asillustrated.

As earlier stated, the circuit closing unit carried by the clip members44, comprises a fluid conductive unit and is designed to be a mercuryswitch of the fuse type. This unit comprises a glass tube 51 each end ofwhich is sealed by a cap member 52 imbedded in a quantity of cement orsealing compound 53. In electrical communication with each of the capsis an electrode 54 or 55 as the case may be, in each instance one endthereof, that is the end secured to the cap 52, being additionallysupported by the cement 53. The unit 50 thus sealed provides a chamberwithin which are disposed the electrodes 54 and 55, and also a quantityof electro-conductive fluid 56, as mercury, that is immersed in a bathof oil 57. It will be noted that the electrodes 54 and 55 are arrangedat one end of the capsule, as illustrated particularly in Figs. 1 and 4,and that the uantity of electro-conductive fluid within t e tube issmall as com ared with the space in said' tube. These eatures lendthemselves particularly to the result to be desired, in that a l uickmake-and-break action can be made Wit respect to the electrodes 54 and55, since the fluid conductive material 56 can move about within thetube 51 in its bath of oil 57 With very little resistance. This marksfor a quick or rapid transmission of the'mass of fluid conductivematerial from one position to an0ther,when the lever 33 and consequentlythe unit 50 is oscillated from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 3.

Contributing to the quick movement or rather the rapid oscillation ofthe circuit closer assembly, from a medial position to either extreme ofthe oscillated positions, a spring 60 is hooked to the lugs 25 and 35 ofthe bracket 20 and lever 31 respectivel as illustrated in the drawing,each end o the spring having an axial extending loop 61 or 62 that aredis osed over the lugs 25 and 35 respectively. he lug 25 may be providedwith notches 63, while the lug 35 is provided with notches 64 whichoperate to retain-the respective spring loops in position. It will benoted from reference to the prior description, that the flan e 34overlies a portion of the bracket 20, andv this fact makes provision forstops or limits as to the extremes of oscillation of the member 31relative to the member 20, and is particularly indicated at 65 and 66respectively, in Figs. 1 and 3. That is to say, the flange 34 overlyingthe upper edge of the bracket 20 operates as a stop to prevent furtheroscillation ofthe lever 31 relative to the bracket 20 when the parts arein the position illustrated in Fig. 1, as for instance the flange 34then engages the member 2'0 as at 65. The opposite extreme ofoscillatable movement is determined by the flange 34 engaging the topedge of the bracket 20 as indicated by 66 in Fig. 3.

It will be observed that the parts thus assembled will assume either oneor the other of the relative positions as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.This is due to the fact that the spring 60 attached to the lug 35 of thelever 31, and to the lug 25 of the bracket 20, tends to rotate the leverand associated mechanism toward either extreme of the oscillatablemovement on one side of the medial position. By the medial position isdefined that position in which the oscillatable assembly would be midwaybetween the positions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, and in which thelonger axis of the member 31 would be substantially coincident with astraight line passing through the central ortion of the lugs 25 and 35,and the pivot 27.

As before stated the circuit closing unit just described is mounted uponsome convenient portion of the vehicle so that the actuating lever 33 isclosely adjacent a movable part asthe brake rod 21 of the vehicle. Thebrake rod is provided with a pair of clamps or clips 70 and 71 inrelative spaced relation,

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one being dis osed on either side of the lever 33. These c ips arespaced on the rod and are so positioned thereon relative to the lever 33that in the normal position the clip 7 0 is just about to engage thelever 33 as is illustrated in Fig. 1, and so that the clip 71 is on theopposite side thereof and spaced a short distance therefrom. It is nowto be observed that when the rod 21 is actuated in the direction of thearrow A that the clip will engage the lever 33, and thence continuedmove- -ment of the rod 21 will tend to oscillate the lever 33 about thepivot27 until the medial position has been passed, whereupon the spring60 will come into Voperation and'cause the oscillatable unit to continueits movement and tilt the circuit closer to the position illustrated inFig. 3. Fig. 3l illustrates the necessary movement to accomplish this,and it is seen that by spacing the clips 70 and 71, that when the clips70 or 71 have moved the lever 33 to the position just beyond the medial.position, that the lever with its associated structure may continue itsoscillation by means of the spring 60, tothe opposite extreme position,or to that illustrated in Fig. 3 as compared to that positionillustrated in Fig. 1, Without the said lever 33 meeting with anyobstruction. Thereby, provision is'xnade for continued movement of therod 2L in the direction of the arrow A without any interference from theassociated parts of the switch mechanism. At the same time the oscillatable structure is in condition for movement to the initial positionresponsive to any reverse movement of the rod 21, since the clip 71 ispositioned to be ready to engage the lever 33 upon said reversemovement.

This structure provides an eiicient mechanism for use in signal'circuitsas on automotive vehicles, and is particularly `adaptable `.forcooperation with the stop lightsignal as a slight movement of the brakerod 21 will operate to close and open the'signal circuit as is desired.B means of the spaced clip 70 and 71 upon t e rod 21 provision is madefor a quick closing of the circuit through the contacts 54 and 55 andconducting fluid 56 by reason of the fact that little movement of therod 21 is required to oscillate the lever 33 and contact closingassembly'to a position where the spring 60 can urge the assembly tocontinue its oscillation, whether the eX- treme position be the circuitclosed position illustated in Fig. 3 or the circuit position of Whiltheform pf embodiment of the prescnt invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow'.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A signal circuit switch comprising in combination; a supportingbracket having an angular lug depending therefrom, a circuit closingassembly unit oscillatably mounted on said bracket and having an angularear adapted to engage the bracket-limiting the oscillation of the uniton either side of a pivotal point and means connecting the lug and theear and urging the assembly unit to either of said oscillated posit-ionswhen the assembly unit is moved by the pivotal point. l

2. A signal circuit switch comprising in combination; a supportingbracket having a lug depending therefrom; a circuit'closlng assemblyunit mounted upon a lever carried by the bracket, said lever having anear overlying and adapted to engage the bracket to limit the oscillationon either side of a pivotal point; and a spring connecting the lug andear to urge said ear against the bracket when the assembly unit is pastthe pivotal point.

3. A signal circuit switch comprising in combination; a mounting brackethaving an oil'set portion provided with an angular lpg dependingtherefrom; an oscillating lever plvoted to the bracket, a circuitclosing assembly unit mounted upon the lever, said lever hav-` ing anangular ear overlying the offset portion lof the bracket andsubstantially paralleled to the angular lug, said ear adapted to engagethe offset of the bracket to limit the oscillation of the .lever oneither side of the pivotal point; and a spring connected between the earand the lug to move the ear of the oscillating member against thebracket when it has been moved past the pivotal point.

4. In a stop-lightswitch of the fluid conductive type having a removablecircuit closing unitand means for supporting same-at each end thereof,the combination comprising; a base; a mounting bracket having a lugvdepending therefrom; a lever carrying said base pivoted to said bracket,said lever having a lug overlying said bracket; spring means engagingsaid lugs and tending to urge the lug on said lever into an angularposition relative to 'said pivot; and means operable to move said leverinto a position slightly beyond the medial position and cause said leverlug to engage said bracket to limit the movement of said lever, saidspring means supplementing the moving means to complete the actuation ofsaid lever and associated structure from one side of the medial positionto open or close a circuit through said circuit closing unit.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

HARRY E. NORVIEL.

